Impatiens hawkeri cultivar xe2x80x98Balscebsafoxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct New Guinea impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Balcebsafoxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar was developed by the inventor through a controlled breeding program during 1997 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to develop cultivars with numerous large flowers, compact to moderate growth habit and excellent basal branching.
The female (seed) parent of xe2x80x98Balcebsafoxe2x80x99 was the proprietary Impatiens hawkeri cultivar designated xe2x80x981199xe2x80x99 (non-patented), characterized by its compact habit, lavender flowers and dark green foliage. The male (pollen) parent of xe2x80x98Balcebsafoxe2x80x99 was the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar xe2x80x98Togaxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,304) characterized by its compact habit, lavender flowers and dark green foliage. xe2x80x98Balcebsafoxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected in December 1997 by the inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation. The new cultivar was asexually reproduced in Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill.
It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:
(a) exhibits large round light salmon flowers,
(b) forms dark green foliage,
(c) exhibits a good basal branching character, and
(d) exhibits a medium upright mounded growth habit.
The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to xe2x80x98Celebration Deep Coralxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,214). In side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from xe2x80x98Celebration Deep Coralxe2x80x99 by the following characteristics: it is found that the new cultivar is more compact, has longer internodes, longer petioles and lighter flower color. The new cultivar can also be compared to xe2x80x98Celebrette Peachxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,108). In side by side comparisons it is found that the new cultivar is more compact, has shorter peduncles, larger, pinker flowers, longer internodes and different foliage coloration. A detailed comparison can be found below in Table A.